Building parttion systems



1386- 1964 L. H. KUSHNER ETAL 3,160,244

BUILDING PARTITION SYSTEMS Filed April 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I54 DONALD H. PETERSON, 450M420 H. KUSH/VEE INVENTORS wg m A TTOEA/EY Filed April 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NQ ME IIIII MS Km 9% QQ\ Nm\- Q Xg Ws Q ms \ml j NM mm E. 7 w w Zap 6 ATTORNEY ilnited dtates enemas BUKLDENG PARTHTHON SYSTEMS Leonard H. Kushner, 613 Cambridge Drive, liurhanlr, Calif., and Donald E. Peterson, 14861 Zapper St, San Fernando, Calif.

Filed Apr. ll, 1964 See. No. 21,6ti5 '7 (Ilaims. (6i. 139-34) This invention pertains to new and improved building partition systems and to parts utilized in such systems.

A building shell consisting of exterior walls and floors is normally finished ofi during the construction of a complete building by the installation of internal ceilings and partitions. Such ceilings are virtually always formed as a permanent part of such a building. Frequently such partitions are also permanently created using either conventional wood or masonry construction. Permanent partition-s of this type within a building shell are relatively expensivethe permanency of such partitions is disadvantageous in the usual circumstances. This is because as buildings are used it is normally desired to periodically rearrange the rooms, halls, etc. within such buildings so as to accommodate changes in the utilization of them.

Because of the desirability of being able to make such changes a number of eitorts have been made to develop demountable building partition structures. In theory such demountable structures offer a number of advan-.

tages over more permanent partitions. When it is desired to rearrange the interior of a building, it is relatively time consuming, costly and otherwise undesirable to tear down a permanent type of wall partition within a building and then to build another partition of the same type. Such prior demountable partitions have been designed so that they can be torn down and reassembled whenever such rearrangement is desired. In spite of new and improved demountable partition systems which overcome many of the aforegoing and various related this, however, these prior demountable structures have not proved to be commercially acceptable in the broad sense of the term.

A number of factors are considered to contribute to this lack of commercial acceptability. A very important factor of this type pertains to conventional building codes. Prior demountable partitions have, as a general rule, failed to meet the requirements of many of such codes. Another important limiting factor affecting the utilization of a prior demountable partition lies in the fact that such partitions have not been constructed so as to be capable of being easily and conveniently used in conjunction with various service lines, conduits and the like, such as are used in modern structures, such as ofiice buildings.

This latter factor is much more important than would normally be realized. As an example of it reference can be made to the use of common telephones within many ofiices. It is well known that whenever a building is subdivided up into various individual rooms or the like in an oflice building that provision must be made so as to supply electricity and telephone service to these various individual rooms. The prior demountable partition structures as a class have not been constructed so as to be capable of being easily used to convey telephone and electrical lines to various desired locations. In a similar way prior demountable building partitions as a class have not been constructed so as to be capable of being used in conveying electrical conduits, water pipes, air conditioning and various other service lines and facilities to individual rooms defined by such partitions. As a class prior demountable partition structures have also been disadvantageous since they have not been capable of being used as an integral par-t of a ceiling structure within a building.

A broad object of the present invention is to provide disadvantages of prior related structures. Another gen eral object of the present invention is to provide various parts which are capable of being assembled together in virtually an infinite variety of diiferent manners in order to create building partition systems of virtually any character desired for any installation. A still further object of the present invention is to provide building partition systems created from such parts which meet various code requirements and which are constructed so as to be used with various service lines and facilities as may be desired.

The present invention, however, is much broader than these objects would indicate. Another object of the present invention is to provide building partition systems which may include a ceiling structure which takes the place of a conventional ceiling located within a building. Another object of the present invention is to provide a ceiling structure of this type which may be used for illumination purposes and which are designed so as to be used in the distribution of wiring of various types and for various other purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide parts of a complete building partition system which may be manufactured at a comparatively nominal cost and which may be installed within a building shell consisting of exterior walls and floors at a comparatively nominal expense with a minimum of difficulty and special equipment. A related object is to provide building partition systems created out of such parts which may be easily and inexpensively disassembled and reassembled in a large number of different manners so as to meet various needs within a building.

Because of the nature of this invention it is considered that it would be virtually impossible to set forth all of the various objects and advantages of it. Other objects of this invention will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains from a detailed consideration of the remainder of this specification including the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View, partially in section, illustrating an installation of a building partition system of this invention within a building shell consisting of a floor and an external Wall;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a part of one of the parts illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part which may be employed in a building partition system of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a spring employed with this invention;

The accompanying drawings are primarily intended to clearly show various aspects of a complete building partition system of the present invention as such a system is constructed in accordance with the presently preferred manner of construction. The breadth of this invention, however, makes it virtually impossible to specifically illustrate all of the ramifications and applications of a building partition systemas herein described. Those familiar with the field of building partitions will realize that various features and principles of this invention, either alone or in combination with one another, may be employed in virtually an infinite variety of specific applications. Because of this the present invention is notto be taken as being limited by the accompanying drawings.

As a guide to understanding this invention it may be stated in essentially summary form that it pertains to invention to such an exterior wall.

arouses u building partition systems which use a plurality of elongated frame members" secured together so as to define a specific manner so as to be hollow and so as to be capable of being used for one or for a variety of different purposes in a complete partition system as herein described. Because of the complexity of this invention the actual details of it are best explained by referring directly to the accompanying drawings. I V

In FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown part of a building shell 40 which includes an exterior wall 42 and a plurality of floors 44, only one of which is shown for convenience of illustration. cerns itself with the partition system/used within this building shell 49 so as to create various interior walls and a ceiling structure as hereinafter described.

Because of its many aspects-this system is not designated by a separate numeral. As it is applied in the structure shown in FIG. 1 it utilizes a series. of elongated frame members 46 which, for convenience of designation, are termed double Eframe members because of their configuration.- in assembling a building partition system of the present invention the various frame members 46 ut lized are cut to the desired lengths for the creation of a complete frame consisting of a plurality of these frame members 45 secured together. In such a frame it will be realized that the frame members 46 are located at right angles to one another in planes. Preferably at least three planes are involved as indicated in FIG. 1 so as to create interior walls extending at right angles to one another and a ceiling extending at right angles to the upper extremities of these interior walls. Preferably the members 45 are createdfrom extruded metal or the like so that they may be conveniently cut. to any desired length as may be required. The configuration of these members 46 is best seen by examination of PKG. 3. Here .it is seen that each of these members includes a center wall 48 which extends between the midpoints of side walls 5%. Midway between the side walls 5% dividing walls 52 extend from the center wall 48 so as. to be parallel to the side walls 5%. These various walls 48, 5t and 52 are all located at right angles to one another as shown, and are of an elongated shape. Elongated continuous notches 54 are preferably formed in extremities of the dividing walls 52 and along the center of the side walls The present invention cont 431, bottom 92. The notch 88 in any wall plate 84 is disposed with respect to the grooves 86 in the general configuration in which the notches 54 and the double V-grooves 66 are located on a side Wall of a frame member 46. In addition the wall plates 84 include openings 94 which are adapted to hold screw lag bolts 96 or the like which are secured to the exterior wall 42 in order to hold wall plates $4 in place. 1

cated adjacent to the extremities of the side walls 56 Y so as to face the'interiors of the channels 66 and the dividing walls 52. in additional double V groove 66 is located adjacent to the extremities of each of the side walls 56 on the sides of these walls remote from the dividing walls 52. v

In the system of the present invention wall plates 3 3 are preferably attached to the interior of the exterior walls 42 of the building shell 40 as illustrated in FIG. 2. of the drawings wherever it is desired to tie in the system of this The Wall plates 84 have much the shape of a common U-shaped channel, the base of which is provided with double V-gr ooves 86 located with respect to each other in the same manner as the double V-grooves 66 on any frame member 46. Between these grooves 86 there is also located within each of the wall plates 84 a notch 88 correspondingto the notches 54- and having exterior walls 94 and a cylindrical channel 146 by means of an elongated slot 152.

like cross-sectional configuration.

When the frame members 46 extending both horizontally and vertically have been assembled into wall structures as shown they define a plurality of openings (not separatelydesignated) within such wall structures. One of the advantages of this present invention lies in the fact that such openings may be easily'filled with virtually any type of panel structure desired for any purpose. This can be seen by considering in detail FIG. 2 of the drawings. Here an opening (not separately identified) between a frame member 46 and a Wall plate 84 is filled with a panel 144 of insulating, sound absorbing or other material. g

This panel 144 is framed with U-sh-aped channels 145 from at least one of which there projects a V-shaped ridge 148 which is adapted to fit within and against the exterior walls 56 in a notch 54 as'shown. Opposite this ridge M3 the channel 146 includes an internal housing 159 which is in communication with the outside of the The housing 150 holds an elongated serpentine-like shaped spring 154 as shown in FIG. 5. This spring 154 bears against a base of a latch 156 having essentially an arrow- As will be seen in FIG. 2 a latch 156 is held within the slot 152 so as to point generally toward the wall plate 84. The spring 154 holds the latch 156 so that it engages the exterior walls 96 of the notch 88 in the plate 84. v v With this type of construction the entire panel 144 may be easily snapped into place bya simple pushing operation. It may be removed from the location shown with substantially the same ease. Such removal may be desired 'when an entire partition system of the present invention is being disassembled or when for any reason it may be desired to replace the panel ldd. Such replacement frequently is desired when such a panel has to be repainted or when some interior decoration scheme has to be changed.

Other of the openings defined between the frame members 46 may be filled up with glass panes 158, using the type of construction shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Here such a pane 153 is held in place between frame members 46 through theuse' of elongated holders 160, each of which is of a generally L-shaped cross-sectional configuration. Each of these holders includes a tenon 162 which is adapted to fit within an adjacent double V- groove 66 so as to be held thereby in such a manner as to rest against each of the panes 1 8. If desired, cushioning means (not shown) such as felt sheet or the like may be located around the periphery of the pane 158 and between this pane and the holders 160, although this is not generally considered necessary.

From an examination of FIG. 1 of this drawing it will be seen that a partition system of this invention may be built to include a door 164- located between two vertical frame members 46 as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Another frame member 46 is positioned above the upper edge of the door'so as to extend horizontally between the two vertical frame members 46 extending along the sides of this door 164 through the use of clips such as the clips' '79 previously described.

In mounting the door 164 a frame plate 166 is attached to a side wall 59 of one frame member 46 through the use of resilient fingers 168 and through the use of tenons 170. Opposite this frame plate 166 another frame plate 172, is used. This other frame plate 172 also includes resilient fingers 1W4 which are adapted to fit within a notch 54 on a "dividing Wall 52 of a frame member 46. This other frame plate 172 has edges which are coincident with and overlie the extremities of the side walls 50 located on each side of the dividing wall 52 which holds the resilient fingers 174. Small resilient ridges 176 formed integrally with the frame plate 172 resiliently engage the grooves 64 within the channels 60 of the frame member 46 holding the frame plate 172 in order to rigidly hold this frame plate in position. If desired, an L-shaped mounting plate 178 may be attached to the portion of the frame plate 172 exposed to one of the channels 60 so as to reinforce this portion of the frame plate. As indicated in FIG. 2 of the drawings this L-shaped member 178 fits closely against the interior of the channel 60 within which it is disposed.

Conventional hinges 180 are used to support the door 164-. Preferably the frame plate 172 is cut-away around each of the hinges 184) so that each of the hinges may be attached directly to the L-shaped member 178 by screws 182 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each of the hinges is of course also attached to the door 164 through the use of screws 1232.

The frame plates 166 and HIE-preferably include external bent-over holding flanges 184, which hold rubber or similar gaskets 186 adjacent to the door 164 so that these gaskets are against this door when it is in a closed position. The door 164 also preferably includes a conventional door knob 188 which controls a latch (not shown) which is adapted to engage an opening (not shown) cut into the frame plate 166 in a conventional manner.

In a partition system of this invention closure plates 1% and 191 are adapted to be used in closing the various channels 60 in the frame members 46 where these channels are not closed by other means separately described in this specification. The closure plates 1% are of comparatively simple construction; each of them includes resilient fingers 192 which are adapted to snap within a notch 54 in a dividing wall 52. These fingers 192 correspond to the fingers 14%) previously described. The closure plates we also include terminal flanges 194 which are adapted to fit against the ends of side walls 50 in order to form a neat appearing structure. The closure plate 191 differs from the closure plate 190 by including in its exterior double V-grooves 66' and a notch 54, both of which correspond to the grooves and notches 66 and 54 respectively previously described, whereas the exteriors of the closure plates 190 are smooth. The closure plates 191 may also include resilient ridges 176' corresponding to the fingers 176 previously described. The frame plate 191 is adapted to be used when it is desired to have a partition extending at right angles to an already 7 existent partition adjoined against a vertical frame member 46.

Another type of a decorative closure plate or panel 196 is shown at the top of FIG. 2 of the drawings. This plate 196 includes resilient fingers and tenons 1955 and 260 respectively, which correspond to the fingers 14d and the tenons 142 previously described. Plates such as a plate 196 are adapted to finish off the side walls 59 of frame members 46 where they are exposed so as to present an acceptable external appearance.

The preceding portions of this description have been primarily directed toward vertical wall portions of a building partition system of this invention. Preferably any complete building partition system of this invention is built so as to include a ceiling constructed as hereinafter described. In creating a ceiling structure in building partition systems of this invention it is preferred to utilize frame members 292 which, for convenience of description, may be referred to as having a modified single E cross-sectional configuration.

Normally the frame members 202 are located sufficiently far from one another so as to be incapable of adequately supporting ceiling panels. For this reason it is preferred to attach to the side walls of the frame member inverted T-shaped support frames 232 (FIG. 1).

When a building partition system of this invention is created there are a plurality of interconnected, completely enclosed channels, such as the channels 69, extending at right angles throughout the entire system. The channels 69 may conveniently be used for conveying various different types of wiring such as Wires 282 and 284 from one location to another wherever it is necessary or desired. Thus, in effect, with the present invention the frame members 46 define continuous closed conduits capable of meeting the various conventional building code specifications for electrical conduits. Further, the entire frame work created using the frame members 46 and the like may be conveniently grounded in any conventional manner so as to meet various other code requirements. As a consequence of these features virtually an entire building partition system of the present invention can be used to separately supply lines or low voltage current or current at a voltage serving especially for lighting purposes, virtually wherever such current is needed or desired.

These various wires may be held in place by small, flat spring metal clips 285 which are snapped in place within grooves 64 as shown.

Thus, the entire series of frame members 46 and 2&2 may be used as a distribution network for various types of current. Further, the plates used to enclose or cover the channels 60 in the frame members 46 may be easily removed from these frames 46 or attached to them as may be desired for virtually any purpose. These plates 190 may carry various electrical outlets such as switches or sockets or the like which are attached to various wires as may be desired. One important advantage of this invention is the fact that the structural members used separate various types of wires from one another so as to avoid interference and so as to meet the requirements of various building codes.

In efiect, a complete building partition and ceiling system of the present invention is nothing more or less than an invitation to variation, modification and the like as an architect, electrical designer, or illumination expert may desire to utilize such-a system. Because of thefact that access may be easily made to any of the channels 60 or other channels serving as Wire ways in this system, even after it is installed, the wiring may be modified whenever and as ever desired. Because of the fact that the various channels serving as wire ways serve a struc tural purpose within a partition system of this invention, separate labor and material requirements for the installation of separate conventional conduit are avoided when ever a system of this invention is utilized.

It is possible to modify a complete partition system of the present invention in various other ways as may be required for any particular installation. Thus, if desired, frame members 46 can in many cases be replaced by plate-like frame members 362 as indicated in FIG. 9 of the drawings. Such frame members 362 are formed so as to have sides shaped as the exteriors of the side walls 50 previously described. The various notches, grooves, etc, in these frame members 362 are not separately described herein in the interest of brevity, and are designated by the double primes of the numerals previously employed in the drawings.

Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realize the extreme versatility of internal partition structures as herein described. They will further realize that these partition structures can be used to completely finish off the interior of 'a building so as to achieve considerable cost advantages, virtually regardless of how it is desired to finish off such a building interior. They will also realize that such a building interior may be modified, altered, or the like whenever desired with a minimum of difiiculty when a partition as herein described is utilized. Because of the nature of this invention, and the fact that it has many aspects when considered as an entirety, it is to be considered as being 7 limited only by the appended claims forming a part of this disclosure.

We claim: 1. In a building partition construction a unitary elongated frame member, said frame member having first and second side walls spaced from and substantial- 1y parallel to each other, a center wall having sides, said center wall extending between the mid-points of said first and second walls, first and second dividing walls extending from opposite sides of said center wall at the mid-point of said center wall and parallel to said side walls, elongated groove-like holding means integrally formed on the ends of said first and second dividing walls remote from said center wall and on the outer face of said side Walls remote from said center wall along the center portion of said sides of said side walls, elongated groove-like locking means integrally formed on the outer face of said side walls adjacent to the ends thereof said holding means and said locking means all being capable of being used in securing said frame member to other members in said building partition construction. 2. In a building partition construction as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said holding means is an annular undercut groove having aflaring opening and wherein each of said locking means is a dovetail groove. 3. In a building partition construction, a frame member as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame member includes an elongated closure plate,

said closure plate having a substantially. planar surface and extending between the corresponding ends of said first and second side walls, said closure plate including fastening means thereon engaging said holding means on one of said dividing walls. Y 4. In a building partition construction, a frame member as defined in claim 1 including opposed grooves located on the surfaces of said side walls and said dividing walls which face one another, and clips extending between and engaging opposed grooves in at least one of said side walls and the facing dividing wall so as to be held in place by said grooves, said clips being adapted to retain electricwires within said frame member. 5. In a building partition construction wherein: two elongated frame members as defined in claim 1 are disposed in spaced apart, substantially parallel relationship to oneanother so that said frame mem bers have opposed substantially parallel side walls,

two elongated holders of a substantially L shape positioned against the remote surfaces of each of said opposed parallel side walls, said holders being spaced apart,

securing means located on each of said elongated holders, each-of said securing means being complementary in shape to the shape of said locking means said securing means engaging and interlocking with said locking means,

panel means positioned between said frame members and said holders so as to be held between said frame members by said holders.

6. In a building partition construction wherein,

two elongated members as defined in claim 1 are disposed in spaced apart, substantially parallel relationship to one another, so that said frame members have opposed substantially parallel side walls,

eases (D as one of said frame members including an elongated closure plate,

said closure plate having a substantially planar surface,

said closure plate including fastening means located thereon, said fastening means engaging said holding means on said frame member so as to hold said closure plate with respect to said frame member, hinge means secured to said closure member; and

a door secured to said hinge means so that said door may swing with respect to both of said frame members.

7. A building partition construction wherein: two elongated frame members are disposed in spaced apart, substantially parallel relationship so that said frame members have opposed substantially parallel side walls, one of said frame members having first and second side walls spaced from and substantially parallel to each other, a center wall having sides, said center wall extending between the mid-points of said first and second walls, first and second dividing walls extending from opposite sides of said center wall at the midpoint of said center wall and formed on the outer face of said side walls adjacent to the ends thereof, the other of said elongated frame members having a side wall with an elongated groove-like holding means integrally formed on the outer face thereof and disposed opposite the elongated holding means on the side of the said one. elongated frame member,

a panel means located between said frame members, said panel means having an edge facing each of said frame members, Y a fixed elongated ridge on one of said edges of said panel means engaging and fitting within the groove- 40 like, holding means on theside wall of one of said frame members,

, a resilient projecting member on the other of said edges of said panel means engaging and fitting within the groove-like holding means on the side wall of the other of said frame members, said resilient projecting member enabling said panel means to be removed from between said frame members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,131,437 Stockmann Mar. 9, 1915 1,219,208 Zahner et al. Mar. 13, 1917 1,965,599 Koenig et al July 10, 1934 2,079,635 Sharp May 11, 1937 2,160,225 Newman May 30, 1939 2,365,255 Eager Dec. 19, 1944 2,376,715 Naysmith May 22, 1945 2,410,479 Clark Nov. 5, 1946 2,563,615 Paul Aug. 7,-1951 2,621,763 Buquor et al. Dec. 16, 1952 2,734,126 Kruger Feb. 7,' 1956 2,811,850 Clary Nov. 5, 1957 2,949,983 Gartner' Aug. 23, 1960 2,972,044 Smith 2 Feb. 14, 1961 3,001,001 Bibb Sept. 19, 1961 3,018,859 Struben Jan. 30, 1962 3,037,590 Pavlecka July 5, 1962 3,053,353 Miller Sept. 11, 1962 P 3,068,970 Neal Dec. 18, 1962 

7. A BUILDING PARTITION CONSTRUCTION WHEREIN: TWO ELONGATED FRAME MEMBERS ARE DISPOSED IN SPACED APART, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP SO THAT SAID FRAME MEMBERS HAVE OPPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SIDE WALLS, ONE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SIDE WALLS SPACED FROM AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER, A CENTER WALL HAVING SIDES, SAID CENTER WALL EXTENDING BETWEEN THE MID-POINTS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND WALLS, FIRST AND SECOND DIVIDING WALLS EXTENDING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CENTER WALL AT THE MIDPOINT OF SAID CENTER WALL AND PARALLEL TO SAID SIDE WALLS, ELONGATED GROOVE-LIKE HOLDING MEANS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON THE ENDS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DIVIDING WALLS REMOTE FROM SAID CENTER WALL AND ON THE OUTER FACE OF SAID SIDE WALLS REMOTE FROM SAID CENTER WALL ALONG THE CENTER PORTION OF SAID SIDES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, ELONGATED GROOVE-LIKE LOCKING MEANS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON THE OUTER FACE OF SAID SIDE WALLS ADJACENT TO THE ENDS THEREOF, THE OTHER OF SAID ELONGATED FRAME MEMBERS HAVING A SIDE WALL WITH AN ELONGATED GROOVE-LIKE HOLDING MEANS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON THE OUTER FACE THERE- 